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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R - friendly monster from Japan

Name: Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R 1989
Brand: Nissan

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Created on December 7, 2015

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Nissan / Werk

Karissa Hosek - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Nissan / Werk

Karissa Hosek - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - compared to later GT-Rs, the R32 looks almost inconspicuous

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - since recently the GT-R models can be officially imported into the USA without customization

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - the rear wing as a distinguishing feature

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Almost 44,000 GT-R coupés of the R32 series were produced

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - cooling air is taken care of

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Nissan targeted the Porsche 959 as a competitor with the R32 GT-R

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - simply designed coupé

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - on the road in the USA

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - the interior was based on the other Skyline models, the seats were particularly sporty

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - all GT-Rs are right-hand drive

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - with km/h speedometer, but it stops much too early

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - with boost pressure indicator and musical entertainment

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - normal H-shift for the five-speed gearbox

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Technology package in the front

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Inline six-cylinder with twin turbo

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - 2.6 liter displacement, 24 valves, 280 hp

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - 17-inch wheels were only available towards the end of the production period

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Front view

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - rear view

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec (1993) - re-sharpened Victory specification

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - sprayed in Gungrey

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1991) - rear view

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec (1993) - Cockpit of the re-sharpened Victory specification

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec II (1994) - Interior of the re-sharpened Victory specification

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1992) - the RB26DE engine

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1991) - in white

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1991) - hardly changed

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Nissan Skyline Sport Coupé GTS-t Type M (1991) - as a two-door coupé

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec II (1994) - in white

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Nissan Skyline Sport Secan GTS-t Type M (1989) - as a four-door model

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Nissan Skyline Sport Coupé GTS-t Type M (1991) - Cockpit of the two-door coupé

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Nissan Skyline (1989) - the inline six-cylinder engine with turbocharging called RB20DET

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Nissan Skyline GTS-t Type M (1989) - Interior of the two-door coupé

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Nissan Skyline (1989) - the inline six-cylinder engine called RB20DE

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Nissan Skyline GTS 25 Type S (1991) - another coupé variant

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Nissan Skyline Sport Secan GTS-t Type M (1989) - Interior of the four-door car

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Nissan Skyline GTS-t Type M (1989) - two-door coupé

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Summary

With the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R, the Japanese manufacturer presented a sports coupé in 1989 that was technologically comparable to the Porsche 959, but only cost around a seventh of the sports car from Zuffenhausen. This vehicle report describes the history and technological innovations of the GT-R and shows it and its brothers in contemporary and historical pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Long line of ancestors
Simple design
Innovative technology
An engine to fall in love with
Part of a family
Born for racing
Broadly based
Matured into a classic
Further information

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

With the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R, the Japanese manufacturer presented a sports coupé in 1989 that was technologically comparable to the Porsche 959, but only cost around a seventh of the sports car from Zuffenhausen. Unfortunately, it was only built with right-hand drive and almost exclusively for the Japanese market; it would certainly have found many buyers in this country too. There was already a Skyline in 1957; with 60 hp, its sportiness was limited. In 1969, a few model series later, the Japanese presented the first Skyliner GT-R with a six-cylinder engine and 160 hp. From 1981, the Skyline was given the additional designation R30, four years later it was the R31 and in 1989 the R32 appeared, which was to clearly outstrip its predecessors in terms of racing success.

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